Two-word question posed to anyone who thinks the NY Mets should trade Mark Vientos

Mark Vientos is getting squeezed out of the New York Mets lineup. As Brett Baty prospers and looks more and more like a legitimate first baseman, there’s less of a chance for Vientos to recapture what made him such a valuable member of the Mets in 2024. He’s already competing for playing time with Baty and Jorge Polanco. As the right-handed hitter of the trio, his playing time should have him exclusively used against lefties to begin the year.

Vientos isn’t without a purpose, just a smaller and less significant one than he had heading into last year. He’s a first baseman/DH who’d only get a chance to play third base again if Thanos snapped his fingers and about half the Mets roster disappeared.

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Ragazzo is one of several people who continue to bang the drum about trading Vientos. To them, there’s one big question to ask.

The question to ask anyone who wants the Mets to trade Mark Vientos: For what?

Vientos doesn’t fit snugly on the Mets roster. He’s also not an absolute waste. With Baty essentially becoming an all-can-do infielder and Bo Bichette as the emergency shortstop, there are ways for everyone to co-exist with some harmony; as long as they never discuss politics.

The two-word question of “for what?” often comes back to a relief pitcher. Who, though? Which pitcher of any quality is a team nearing Opening Day going to send the Mets for Vientos? The Padres have already loaded up on veteran versions of Vientos on their roster (Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos) who can play first base. They have zero need.

Running out of minor league options puts Vientos in a place where he doesn’t really fit in with a contender outside of a club that has lost a slugger to begin the year. Teams could give him one last try at third base. Someone like the Pittsburgh Pirates might have enough patience to give him the leeway to struggle as long as he hits.

This leads us back to the question. What are they willing to give the Mets for Vientos?

Pick any pitcher you’d like on their roster with minor league options left. Make a fair argument Vientos would bring them more value. You’ve covered Pittsburgh’s side of things. Then consider the Mets.

Are the Mets better off with a depth arm (the only thing they have any realistic need for) than they would be with one last try at getting more from Vientos? His value is low. If anyone was willing to bite on a trade for an optional bullpen arm or someone who’s just good, that trade would have happened already.

Silly things like trading him to the Boston Red Sox for an outfielder or Masataka Yoshida blend poorly with the structure of the Mets roster. Jarren Duran isn’t coming to New York. This is a settled roster where Vientos is a part-time player no one was eager enough to trade for over the last few months and nothing should have changed since after a poor start in spring training and mostly vacant WBC run.

An injury to the Mets or for another team’s corner infielder is what could procure an actual trade. The Mets losing a significant reliever could always push them to package Vientos with more. Vientos alone, however, doesn’t seem to carry enough weight in any trade idea.